Since the video of George Floyd's death was circulated online, protestors in the United States, mainly in Minneapolis, Minnesota, had been enraged for justice. However, the issues of racism and discrimination were not the only problems these protesters must face. They could also be facing the next wave of positive coronavirus victims soon.
Atlanta Mayor advises George Floyd's protestors to test for COVID-19
Fox News reported this week that a new wave of COVID-19 victims might soon appear in the country if George Floyd protestors will not test for the virus.
Since all protestors are piled up in the streets of Minnesota and police forces are also trying to stop them, it was hard to follow the required social distancing needed to stop the widespread of Coronavirus.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, said that if protestors stayed for too long in the streets filled with lots of people, it would be better for them to stay healthy and test for COVID-19.
"If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a COVID test this week," she said Saturday at a news conference. "There is still a pandemic in America that's killing black and brown people at higher numbers."
New York City officials also had the same suggestion as Bottoms. Dr. Theodore Long, the one leading New York City's contact tracing efforts with its public hospital agency, said that anyone that contributes or active on the mass protests should be tested. This was also the same guy that signed an executive order to put curfew for the city.
"We strongly encourage anybody who is out in the protests to wear a mask, practice proper hand hygiene, and to the extent possible, socially distance, though we know that's not always going to be feasible," Dr. Long said.
However, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz mentioned that wearing masks may be an excuse for protesters to hide their identities on the protests.
'We have no choice'
Local news 9News reported that a lot of protestors were also worried about acquiring Coronavirus. However, they still want to voice out their issues on the streets to protect what's been happening in the U.S.-- especially in the issues of racism and discrimination against dark-colored skin people.
"It's not OK that in the middle of a pandemic we have to be out here risking our lives," Spence Ingram, a black woman, said after marching with other protesters to the state Capitol in Atlanta on Friday. "But I have to protest for my life and fight for my life all the time."
